Alex Burns's Fantasy Basketball Top 250 Rankings for 2024-2025 (Categories)

Here we are, folks -- almost to the finish line! After what seemed like possibly the fastest offseason in NBA history (we say this every year), we are a few weeks out from watching real NBA hoops. And that can only mean one thing: fantasy basketball is back, baby!

The NBA offseason delivered its usual dose of drama, serving up an (unhealthy) overload of rumors, blockbuster trades, and noteworthy free agency signings that kept us all hooked. I am most excited to see how some of the biggest question marks of the season get answered. A few that come to mind are - Can Karl-Anthony Towns return to first-round value in New York? Can Immanuel Quickley break into the top 50 fantasy players? Does Mark Williams make NBA history by being 'doubtful' for all 82 games?

Okay, I'm kidding about that last one... sort of. Either way, it's invigorating to be this close to tip-off. I've been updating my rankings like a mad scientist all summer, and now, with your fantasy basketball drafts right around the corner, it's time for my latest tweaks. Welcome to my 2024-2025 Top 250 Fantasy Basketball Categories rankings!

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including NBA Writer of the Year, Best NFL Series, MLB Series, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win more with RotoBaller! Read More!

 

2024-2025 Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Alex's Top 250

Rank	Name	Team	Positions	Tiers
1	Victor Wembanyama	SAS	PF,C	1
2	Nikola Jokic	DEN	C	1
3	Luka Doncic	DAL	PG,SG	1
4	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	OKC	PG,SG	1
5	Anthony Davis	LAL	PF,C	1
6	Joel Embiid	PHI	C	1
7	Giannis Antetokounmpo	MIL	PF,C	1
8	Tyrese Haliburton	IND	PG,SG	1
9	Jayson Tatum	BOS	SF,PF	1
10	Trae Young	ATL	PG	1
11	James Harden	LAC	PG,SG	1
12	Stephen Curry	GSW	PG,SG	1
13	LaMelo Ball	CHA	PG,SG	2
14	Karl-Anthony Towns	NYK	C,PF	2
15	Kyrie Irving	DAL	PG,SG	2
16	Anthony Edwards	MIN	SG,SF	2
17	Donovan Mitchell	CLE	SG,PG	2
18	Kevin Durant	PHX	SF,PF	2
19	Devin Booker	PHX	SG,PG	2
20	Damian Lillard	MIL	PG	2
21	LeBron James	LAL	SF,PF	2
22	Jalen Brunson	NYK	PG,SG	2
23	Domantas Sabonis	SAC	C,PF	2
24	Scottie Barnes	TOR	SG,SF,PF	2
25	Chet Holmgren	OKC	PF,C	3
26	Lauri Markkanen	UTH	SF,PF	3
27	Paul George	PHI	SG,SF,PF	3
28	Jimmy Butler	MIA	SF,PF	3
29	Fred VanVleet	HOU	PG	3
30	Tyrese Maxey	PHI	PG,SG	3
31	De'Aaron Fox	SAC	PG	3
32	Cade Cunningham	DET	PG,SG	3
33	Jaren Jackson Jr.	MEM	PF,C	3
34	Alperen Sengun	HOU	C	3
35	Evan Mobley	CLE	PF,C	3
36	Bam Adebayo	MIA	C	3
37	Ja Morant	MEM	PG	4
38	Myles Turner	IND	C	4
39	Paolo Banchero	ORL	SF,PF	4
40	Jalen Johnson	ATL	SF,PF	4
41	Derrick White	BOS	PG,SG	4
42	Desmond Bane	MEM	SG,SF	4
43	Jalen Williams	OKC	SG,SF,PF	4
44	Dejounte Murray	NOR	PG,SG	4
45	Kawhi Leonard	LAC	SG,SF,PF	4
46	Immanuel Quickley	TOR	PG,SG	4
47	Jamal Murray	DEN	PG,SG	4
48	DeMar DeRozan	SAC	SG,SF,PF	4
49	Franz Wagner	ORL	SG,SF,PF	5
50	Zion Williamson	NOR	PF,C	5
51	Pascal Siakam	IND	SF,PF,C	5
52	Jaylen Brown	BOS	SG,SF	5
53	Darius Garland	CLE	PG	5
54	Jalen Duren	DET	C	5
55	Deandre Ayton	POR	C	5
56	Jarrett Allen	CLE	C	5
57	Miles Bridges	CHA	SF,PF	5
58	Mikal Bridges	NYK	SG,SF,PF	5
59	Rudy Gobert	MIN	C	5
60	Brandon Miller	CHA	SG,SF	5
61	Josh Giddey	CHI	PG,SG,SF	6
62	Julius Randle	NYK	PF	6
63	Isaiah Hartenstein	OKC	PF,C	6
64	Jordan Poole	WAS	PG,SG	6
65	D'Angelo Russell	LAL	PG,SG	6
66	Tobias Harris	DET	SF,PF	6
67	Bradley Beal	PHO	PG,SG	6
68	Nicolas Claxton	BKN	PF,C	6
69	Nikola Vucevic	CHI	PF,C	6
70	Devin Vassell	SAS	SG,SF	6
71	Cam Thomas	BKN	SG	6
72	Zach LaVine	CHI	SG,SF	6
73	Jrue Holiday	BOS	PG,SG	7
74	OG Anunoby	NYK	SF,PF	7
75	Anfernee Simons	POR	PG,SG	7
76	Mark Williams	CHA	C	7
77	Michael Porter Jr.	DEN	SF,PF	7
78	Trey Murphy III	NOR	PF,SF,SG	7
79	Brandon Ingram	NOR	SG,SF,PF	7
80	Tyler Herro	MIA	PG,SG	7
81	Bogdan Bogdanovic	ATL	SG,SF	7
82	Jalen Suggs	ORL	PG,SG	7
83	Draymond Green	GSW	PF,C	7
84	Brook Lopez	MIL	C	7
85	Jabari Smith Jr.	HOU	PF,C	8
86	Jakob Poeltl	TOR	C	8
87	Kyle Kuzma	WAS	SF,PF	8
88	Ivica Zubac	LAC	C	8
89	Jusuf Nurkic	PHO	C	8
90	Terry Rozier	MIA	PG,SG	8
91	Austin Reaves	LAL	PG,SG,SF	8
92	Keegan Murray	SAC	SF,PF	8
93	CJ McCollum	NOR	PG,SG	8
94	Khris Middleton	MIL	SG,SF	8
95	Walker Kessler	UTH	C	8
96	Dereck Lively II	DAL	C	8
97	Naz Reid	MIN	PF,C	9
98	Amen Thompson	HOU	SG,SF	9
99	Jonas Valanciunas	WAS	C	9
100	Herbert Jones	NOR	SF,PF	9
101	Alex Caruso	OKC	PG,SG,SF	9
102	Tyus Jones	PHO	PG	9
103	Coby White	CHI	PG,SG	9
104	Chris Paul	SAS	PG	9
105	Brandin Podziemski	GSW	SG	9
106	Kristaps Porzingis	BOS	PF,C	9
107	Onyeka Okongwu	ATL	PF,C	9
108	Trayce Jackson-Davis	GSW	PF,C	9
109	Jerami Grant	POR	SF,PF	10
110	Jonathan Kuminga	GSW	PF	10
111	John Collins	UTH	PF,C	10
112	Cameron Johnson	BKN	SF,PF	10
113	Marcus Smart	MEM	PG,SG	10
114	Jalen Green	HOU	PG,SG	10
115	Mike Conley	MIN	PG	10
116	Scoot Henderson	POR	PG	10
117	Jeremy Sochan	SAS	PG,SF,PF	10
118	Daniel Gafford	DAL	PF,C	10
119	Keyonte George	UTH	PG,SG	10
120	Zach Edey	MEM	C	10
121	RJ Barrett	TOR	SG,SF,PF	11
122	Buddy Hield	GSW	SG,SF	11
123	Norman Powell	LAC	SG,SF	11
124	P.J. Washington Jr.	DAL	PF	11
125	Taylor Hendricks	UTH	SF,PF	11
126	Aaron Gordon	DEN	PF,C	11
127	Ausar Thompson	DET	SG,SF,PF	11
128	Collin Sexton	UTH	PG,SG	11
129	Gary Trent Jr.	MIL	PG,SG	11
130	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	ORL	SG,SF	11
131	Al Horford	BOS	PF,C	11
132	Clint Capela	ATL	C	11
133	Josh Hart	NYK	SG,SF,PF	12
134	Deni Avdija	POR	SF,PF	12
135	Malik Monk	SAC	SG,SF	12
136	Malcolm Brogdon	WAS	PG,SG	12
137	Bobby Portis Jr.	MIL	PF,C	12
138	Aaron Nesmith	IND	SF,PF	12
139	Dennis Schroder	BKN	PG	12
140	De'Anthony Melton	GSW	PG,SG	12
141	Klay Thompson	DAL	SG,SF	12
142	Alexandre Sarr	WAS	PF	12
143	Russell Westbrook	DEN	PG	12
144	Tari Eason	HOU	SF,PF	12
145	Donte DiVincenzo	NYK	SG,SF	13
146	Jonathan Isaac	ORL	SF,PF	13
147	Wendell Carter Jr.	ORL	C	13
148	Patrick Williams	CHI	SF,PF	13
149	Andrew Wiggins	GSW	SF,PF	13
150	Rui Hachimura	LAL	SF,PF	13
151	Shaedon Sharpe	POR	SG,SF	13
152	Bilal Coulibaly	WAS	SG,SF	13
153	Kelly Oubre Jr.	PHI	SG,SF,PF	13
154	Jaden Ivey	DET	PG,SG	13
155	Andrew Nembhard	IND	PG,SG	13
156	Tre Jones	SAS	PG	13
157	T.J. McConnell	IND	PG	14
158	Caris LeVert	CLE	SG,SF	14
159	Mitchell Robinson	NYK	C	14
160	Jordan Clarkson	UTH	SG,SF	14
161	Corey Kispert	WAS	SG,SF	14
162	Max Strus	CLE	SG,SF	14
163	Dyson Daniels	ATL	PG,SG	14
164	Gradey Dick	TOR	SG,SF	14
165	Kelly Olynyk	TOR	PF,C	14
166	Vince Williams Jr.	MEM	PG,SG,SF,PF	14
167	Keldon Johnson	SAS	SG,SF,PF	14
168	Nikola Jovic	MIA	SF,PF,C	14
169	Grayson Allen	PHO	PG,SG,SF	15
170	Jaime Jaquez Jr.	MIA	SF	15
171	Bennedict Mathurin	IND	SG,SF	15
172	Ben Simmons	BKN	PG,PF	15
173	Nick Richards	CHA	C	15
174	Donovan Clingan	POR	C	15
175	Brandon Clarke	MEM	PF,C	15
176	Kyle Lowry	PHI	PG	15
177	Kevin Porter Jr.	FA	PG,SG	15
178	Caleb Martin	PHI	SG,SF,PF	15
179	Delon Wright	MIL	PG,SG	15
180	Luke Kennard	MEM	SG	15
181	Nickeil Alexander-Walker	MIN	SG,SF	15
182	Royce O'Neale	PHO	SF,PF	15
183	Noah Clowney	BKN	SF,PF,C	16
184	Ayo Dosunmu	CHI	PG,SG,SF	16
185	Payton Pritchard	BOS	PG	16
186	Jaden McDaniels	MIN	SF,PF	16
187	Isaiah Jackson	IND	PF,C	16
188	Scotty Pippen Jr.	MEM	PG,SG	16
189	Andre Drummond	PHI	C	16
190	Jalen Smith	CHI	PF,C	16
191	Reed Sheppard	HOU	SG	16
192	De'Andre Hunter	ATL	SF,PF	16
193	Terance Mann	LAC	SG,SF	16
194	Miles McBride	NYK	PG,SG	16
195	Bojan Bogdanovic	BKN	SG,SF,PF	17
196	Cason Wallace	OKC	PG,SG	17
197	Luguentz Dort	OKC	SG,SF	17
198	Kel'el Ware	MIA	C	17
199	Keon Ellis	SAC	SG,SF	17
200	Matas Buzelis	CHI	F	17
201	Spencer Dinwiddie	DAL	PG,SG	17
202	Paul Reed	DET	PF,C	17
203	Taurean Prince	MIL	SG,SF	17
204	Eric Gordon	PHI	SG,SF	17
205	Bub Carrington	WAS	PG,SG	17
206	Peyton Watson	DEN	SF,PF	17
207	Christian Braun	DEN	SG,SF	18
208	Zaccharie Risacher	ATL	SF	18
209	Duncan Robinson	MIA	SG,SF	18
210	Kyle Anderson	GSW	SF,PF	18
211	Josh Green	CHA	SG,SF	18
212	Derrick Jones Jr.	LAC	SF,PF	18
213	Matisse Thybulle	POR	SG,SF	18
214	Malik Beasley	DET	SG	18
215	Josh Richardson	MIA	PG,SG,SF	18
216	Kevin Huerter	SAC	SG,SF	18
217	Jarred Vanderbilt	LAL	PF	18
218	Obi Toppin	IND	PF	18
219	Dario Saric	DEN	PF,C	19
220	Harrison Barnes	SAS	SF,PF	19
221	Moritz Wagner	ORL	PF,C	19
222	Quentin Grimes	DAL	SG,SF	19
223	Dalano Banton	POR	PG,SG,SF	19
224	Cole Anthony	ORL	PG	19
225	Dillon Brooks	HOU	SG,SF	19
226	Isaac Okoro	CLE	SG,SF,PF	19
227	Isaiah Stewart	DET	PF,C	19
228	Zach Collins	SAS	PF,C	19
229	Moses Moody	GSW	SG,SF	19
230	Naji Marshall	DAL	SG,SF	19
231	Larry Nance Jr.	ATL	PF,C	19
232	Cam Whitmore	HOU	SF,PF	19
233	Dorian Finney-Smith	BKN	SF,PF,C	20
234	Stephon Castle	SAS	PG,SG	20
235	Anthony Black	ORL	PG,SG,SF	20
236	Isaiah Joe	OKC	PG,SG	20
237	Bruce Brown Jr.	TOR	SG,SF	20
238	Marcus Sasser	DET	PG	20
239	Daniel Theis	NOR	PF,C	20
240	Mason Plumlee	PHO	C	20
241	Marvin Bagley III	WAS	PF,C	20
242	Simone Fontecchio	DET	SF,PF	20
243	Amir Coffey	LAC	SG,SF,PF	20
244	Grant Williams	CHA	PF,C	21
245	Julian Strawther	DEN	SG	21
246	Gabe Vincent	LAL	PG,SG	21
247	Jaxson Hayes	LAL	PF,C	21
248	Yves Missi	NOR	C	21
249	Santi Aldama	MEM	PF,C	21
250	Mo Bamba	LAC	C	21

 

My Guys

Immanuel Quickley, G - Toronto Raptors
Average Draft Position - 58.4, Alex Ranking - 46

We've known for quite some time that Quickley had breakout potential, but a backup role in Tom Thibodeau's system kept his flame from truly fanning over the last few seasons. That changed significantly after he was traded to the Toronto Raptors, along with R.J. Barrett, in exchange for OG Anunoby near the trade deadline last season. In the blink of an eye, he went from a streaming option to a must-roster player in standard leagues, averaging 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 threes, and 0.9 steals in 33.3 minutes in his first stretch with the Raptors.

Even better, his stats took a leap as he settled in with his new team, with those numbers climbing to 21.2 points, 7.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 threes, and 1.2 steals over the season's final two months (18 games). Sure, it's always wise to be cautious with late-season stats thanks to hashtag silly season, but he finished as a top 30 value over that time according to Basketball Monster.

With a full offseason in Toronto, I'm confident he'll pick right up where he left off. The minutes and role will be there, and he's already shown us his upside. At this point, I would feel comfortable looking his way in the 4th round of drafts, and I would take him over other guards like Jamal Murray, Jaylen Brown, and Darius Garland without hesitation.

Jimmy Butler, G/F - Miami Heat
Average Draft Position - 52, Alex Ranking - 28

As a Miami Heat fan, I'll be the first one to tell you that Butler had a disappointing season last year. Sure, he's no stranger to missing games, but what really stung was his drop-off in almost every single significant stat category, namely steals. Sprinkle in an offseason filled with whispers of tension between him and I know what you're thinking -- "Here we go again".

Maybe this is just me wearing my homer hat but I genuinely believe there's a strong mutual respect between Butler and the organization. So when Pat Riley sat at the podium and delivered a stern challenge earlier this year, I think Butler took it differently than he might have with other teams in the past.

Bill Simmons on Jimmy Butler’s Media Day presence🔥:

“He’s absolutely not f*cking around. Jimmy Butler taking the regular season serious is a massive f*cking deal for the Heat.

They can make finals as 7 seed but you should not try to do that; I’m back in.” (via Bill Simmons… pic.twitter.com/Y0Y4N9nmZk

— Hot Hot Hoops (@hothothoops) October 3, 2024

As for the decline in production, it's no surprise that Butler, now 35, is no longer a spring chicken. After a couple of grueling postseason runs in recent years, I have to think the mileage caught up to him years caught up to him. But with an early playoff exit last year (play-in game), he's had a full offseason to rest and recover.

I won't bore you with stats--we all know who Jimmy Butler is as a player. All I'm saying is don't be shocked if we see a fired-up Butler delivering a bounce-back season for fantasy managers.

Jordan Poole, G - Washington Wizards
Average Draft Position - 98.5, Alex Ranking - 64

Let me just start by saying "I get it". If you're reading this and were one of the managers who drafted Jordan Poole with sky-high expectations, only to watch everything fall apart, I feel your pain. But if we dig deep and find one silver lining from Poole's rough 2023 campaign, it was how well he performed playing point guard. Early in the season, he averaged 16.5 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.5 rebounds when playing shooting guard. But when he shifted to running the offense, those numbers shot up to 20.8 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.3 rebounds.

This improvement caught the eye of new Wizards head coach Brian Keefe, who recently confirmed that Poole would be the full-time point guard to begin the season. I wasn't as high on Poole as I was before this news, but this changes things. We know he can score, but if he can dish out 6+ assists per game, and improve his shooting efficiency even slightly, his average draft position (ADP) will look like a joke.

Brandon Miller, G/F - Charlotte Hornets
Average Draft Position - 71.7, Alex Ranking - 60

The Charlotte Hornets were a bit of a mess last season, with LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams missing 60 and 63 games, respectively, and a flurry of trade deadline moves adding to the chaos. But through all that dysfunction, one player stood out to me: Brandon Miller. While his rookie season stat line was modest -- 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, 2.5 threes -- his raw talent was on full display. He had four games with 30+ points and ten games with five or more threes. On defense, his wingspan and athleticism helped him make plays, even if his 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks don't scream "elite" just yet. I see room for positive regression there.

Now, with Charles Lee replacing Steve Clifford as head coach, I expect Miller to get a small bump in minutes (32.2 MPG last season). Even with LaMelo Ball returning, history shows that he may not play the full season, which could open up a huge opportunity for Miller. If he makes the offensive and defensive leap I'm anticipating in year two, he has top-50 upside written all over him.

 

My Fades

Coby White, G - Chicago Bulls
Average Draft Position - 70, Alex Ranking - 103

As a die-hard North Carolina Tar Heel fan, I've always been a big Coby White supporter. He was one of my most rostered players last season, and it was a blast watching his breakout campaign unfold. I'm still salty he didn't snag the Most Improved Player award over Tyrese Maxey, but hey, that's a debate for another day!

I’ve been saying all offseason that Coby White was a bonafide sleeper

Some people even thought it was crazy I took him with my last pick in some mocks

Get on the bus before it’s too late 🚀 https://t.co/gb17jWdBbH

— AB (@aburnshoops) October 8, 2023

Anyway, White finished 98th in per-game value last season, and that was with Zach LaVine missing 57 games. Now, with Josh Giddey joining the squad, White will likely have the ball in his hands even less than he did a year ago. He's a solid pick in the late 90s to early 100s in standard leagues, but drafting him at pick 70? That's a little too rich for my taste right now. At that spot, I would much rather target guys like Cam Thomas or Anfernee Simons over White.

Chet Holmgren, F/C - Oklahoma City Thunder
Average Draft Position - 20.7, Alex Ranking - 25

Let me start by saying I'm a huge fan of Chet Holmgren, and I believe he's going to be a fantasy stud this season. I don't even have him ranked outrageously high, as you can see above. I'm mentioning him here simply to explain why we might need to temper our expectations a bit.

Lately, I've seen Holmgren go in the early to mid-second round of several drafts, both mock and real. While there are certainly worse picks you could make, it begs the question: What should we realistically expect from him this season? Last season, he finished 20th in per-game value, but I believe a slight drop, rather than a rise, is more likely this year.

The main concern I have is his potential shift from center to power forward. After the Thunder signed Isaiah Hartenstein, many speculated whether he'd come off the bench or start alongside Chet. While nothing has been officially confirmed, the expectation is that Holmgren will start at power forward.

This possibility is one reason why I've pumped the breaks on Chet Holmgren a bit heading into draft season

Playing the 4 could very well result in less rebounds & a slight decrease in blocks (cc Anthony Davis)

He'll still be great, I'd just prefer to take him in the 3rd round https://t.co/HHZ6M2SM64

— AB (@aburnshoops) September 19, 2024

If that happens, I worry that playing farther from the basket could negatively impact his rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage. I'm not suggesting the drop would be dramatic, but it could be enough to curb the upside you'd be hoping for if you're taking him at his current ADP. That being said, Holmgren's unique skillset still makes him an automatic top-30 player for me--I'd just feel more comfortable pulling the trigger on him in the 3rd round.

Keegan Murray, F - Sacramento Kings
Average Draft Position (Yahoo!) - 76.9, Alex Ranking - 92

Murray had a solid fantasy season for the Kings in 2024, even as the third option on offense. Despite a modest 18% usage rate, he still found ways to contribute, finishing with 15.3 points, 2.5 threes, and a steal per game--all with solid efficiency. The departure of Harrison Barnes should've been great news for fantasy managers, but instead, the Kings added a high-usage player in DeMar DeRozan. Talk about a double-edged sword.

Although Murray's starting role is safe, he now enters the year as the clear fourth option offensively, which makes repeating last year's numbers a tougher task. While his efficiency and strong defensive play should remain steady, a dip in usage and counting stats is likely. He's still a top-100 in my book, but his upside is limited.

It doesn't bring me any joy to say this--I've been a believer in Murray since he entered the league in 2023--but this is all about his situation more than his talent.

 

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